Fans of the beloved 2003 film Freaky Friday were in for a surprise when two of its stars found themselves reunited on the hit crime procedural NCIS—this time, not as family members, but as love interests. While their on-screen chemistry in Freaky Friday was built on comedic mother-daughter misunderstandings, their NCIS reunion took a very different, more romantic turn. Unfortunately, just as quickly as their characters’ romance blossomed, it was cut short, leaving fans both delighted and disappointed by the fleeting nature of their on-screen relationship.
The actors in question are Jamie Lee Curtis and Chad Michael Murray. Curtis, known for her iconic role as Tess Coleman in Freaky Friday, made multiple guest appearances on NCIS as Dr. Samantha Ryan, a psychological operations expert and a potential love interest for Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Murray, who played Jake in Freaky Friday, had a guest role as Sergeant Andrew Weaver, a Marine caught in a complex case. Although their characters didn’t share direct scenes, their brief crossover on NCIS stirred up nostalgia for Freaky Friday fans, reminding them of the last time these two actors shared the screen.
Curtis’s character, Dr. Ryan, was introduced as a strong and intelligent love interest for Gibbs in Season 9. Their relationship was one of mutual respect and admiration, but also filled with tension due to the secrecy surrounding her work with the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, Murray’s Sergeant Weaver appeared in a separate episode involving a high-profile investigation. While the two actors never engaged in a direct romantic storyline together on NCIS, their overlapping presence was enough to spark excitement among fans who fondly remembered their Freaky Friday days.
The significance of this reunion goes beyond just a fun Easter egg for movie fans. It highlights how actors from iconic films can find themselves crossing paths again in entirely different genres, giving audiences a fresh perspective on their dynamic. Curtis’s sophisticated and sharp-witted portrayal of Dr. Ryan was a far cry from the comedic chaos of Tess Coleman, while Murray’s portrayal of a dedicated Marine demonstrated his versatility beyond his teenage heartthrob roles.
Although their time on NCIS was brief, the nostalgia factor was undeniable. Fans of Freaky Friday who happened to be NCIS viewers were delighted by the unexpected crossover, even if it didn’t last long. The reunion served as a testament to both actors’ enduring careers and their ability to captivate audiences in dramatically different roles. While their romantic storyline on NCIS was short-lived, it was certainly a memorable moment for fans who cherished their work together in Freaky Friday.
